A Teacher of… Teachers

Published 2:54 pm, Friday, April 22, 2016

UPPER THUMB — More than 800 educators, administrators and support staff from 31 school districts in the area attended training sessions recently led by education consultant Dr. Anita Archer.

Archer is an educational consultant to school districts on effective instruction, classroom management, reading and writing instruction and design of effective literacy programs. She has taught elementary and middle school students and is the recipient of 10 Outstanding Educator awards, including the Leadership Award from the University of Oregon, College of Education and the Patricia C. Lindamood Award for Clinical Leadership Excellence in Language and Literacy. She has been a faculty member at San Diego State University, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon.

Archer is nationally known for her presentations and publications on instructional procedures and literacy instruction, and local educators were very excited to have her visit Huron County.

“Our schools are very focused on improving learning,” said Janet Richards, Huron Intermediate School District (HISD) superintendent. “They are committed to putting in place the most effective teaching strategies that will be most helpful to students. Teachers and administrators have really studied what these strategies are, and it was so helpful to learn from one of the world’s most masterful teachers who modeled and practiced these strategies with us. Dr. Archer exemplified the high degree of energy and skill teaching deserves and requires.”

Archer was in the area for four days in late April, and most educators attended more than one of her sessions. She covered strategies to help students comprehend what they have read, teaching the meaning of critical and unknown vocabulary words, activating background knowledge, teaching writing within the content areas, summarization strategies, thinking and memorization strategies, and how to engage students in learning. She applied these topics to students of all ages, and she used examples in every subject area, from math, science and English to construction trades and automotive technology, Richards said.

Peggy Randall, HISD general education director, said those who attended Archer’s sessions appreciated how practical Archer’s sessions were, and teachers liked seeing and experiencing the strategies themselves during the workshops.

“Feedback has been very positive,” Randall said. “We’ve been told of teachers who began using what they learned the very next day and were astonished with the impact. Principals are supporting teachers in using (Archer’s) strategies in their classrooms now.”

“We will model and use strategies Dr. Archer taught as we engage administrators and teachers in the continuous work of the Student Achievement Model,” Richards added. “It would be impossible for an educator who participated in her training to not be able to apply (what they learned) and expect (positive results). We will do the same by incorporating these effective strategies as we support our local districts.”

The Student Achievement Model is a comprehensive multi-county effort, led by the HISD, to improve academic achievement for each student in every core subject. Among other components, the model involves professional development for educators, regular student testing on academic progress and finding ways to effectively reach students who are struggling in the classroom.

Archer’s visit was paid for with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.